Vethathiri Maharishi

Yogiraj Shri Vethathiri Maharishi (14 August 1911 – 28 March 2006) was a spiritual leader, world peace activist, scientist, philosopher, Ayurvedic and homeopathic practitioner, and founder-trustee of the World Community Service Center in 1958 in Chennai, India. His Theory of Universal Magnetism provides an alternative for the Big Bang theory, and includes the concepts of the evolution of atoms and God particles. He provided 14 principles for World Peace. He presented a blueprint at United Nations for World Peace.

Vethathiri Maharishi
Vethathiri Maharishi on a 2010 stamp of India
Born(1911-08-14)14 August 1911
Guduvanchery, Tamil Nadu, India
Died28 March 2006(2006-03-28) (aged 94)
Coimbatore, India
WebsiteVethathiri Maharishi

He founded over 300 yoga centres around the world and wrote about 80 books, many of which became academic textbooks. Tamil Nadu government has recently approved to teach his Simplified Kundalini Yoga at Schools. He was declared the 19th Siddha by the Dravidian University.[1]

Early life

Shri Vethathiri Maharishi was born on 14 August 1911 in the village of Guduvancheri, south of Chennai, India, into an indigent weaver's family.[1] After spending several years in various minor employment, he established a textile concern that grew to employ over 2,000 workers on a profit-sharing basis. Maharishi regularly participated in intense meditation and introspection, which he claims brought him full enlightenment at the age of thirty-five. At the age of fifty, he closed his commercial ventures and devoted himself solely to spiritual service. However, he remained a "householder", i.e. he did not break his family ties or take vows of renunciation, but rather lived in the indigenous Siddha tradition, maintaining family ties.

Poems and books

Shri Vethathiri Maharishi wrote over 3000 poems on philosophical subjects. In the Indian philosophical tradition, his philosophy corresponds to pure Advaita. His language and attitudes are contemporary, non-sectarian and non-dogmatic. He authored about 80 books in Tamil and English, and continued to write until his death.

Spiritual teachings

Vethathiri strove to find answers to three questions: “What is God?” “What is life?” “Why is poverty in the world?” The search to find these answers as well as to further his lot in life led him into various fields of endeavour, including becoming a qualified practitioner of two systems of Indian indigenous medicine, Ayurveda and Siddha, and certified practitioner Homeopathy as well. Vethathiri led the life of a householder until he was 50, and then changed the course of his life from being a businessman to teach and write about his experiences of purported divine revelations. He published many books in English and Tamil. Between 1972–1993, he visited the US, Europe, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Mexico.

Vethathiri's science of living (Vethathiriyam)

Vethathiri Maharishi claimed to synthesize a complete science of living for the betterment of humanity through: Simplified Kundalini Yoga meditation, Physical Exercises, Kaya Kalpa Yoga and Introspections. Vethathiri's lifetime works are called Vethathiriyam, which literally translates as a roadmap to the mountain of knowledge. He claimed that a deep understanding of nature is essential for living in harmony with the law of nature, while balancing material well-being with spiritual progress.

Vethathiri that the primordial state of the universe, which he called Absolute Space, has two inherent attributes that are latent:

  • Force or Gravity: Inexhaustible self-compressive force, the source of all forces, which acts everywhere
  • Consciousness: The omniscient order of function in everything. According to Swamiji, as a result of the self-compressive nature of the absolute space, an infinitesimal volume of space begins to spin in a whirling motion, called a fundamental energy particle. He believed that the spinning action propels an outward repulsive force, and that the co-joining of the two forces, attractive and repulsive, is defined as Universal Magnetism. Vethathiri maintained that this fills the universe as a wave, and that it is the first phase of self-transformation of the absolute space from being to becoming.

Organizations

In 1958 Shri Vethathiri Maharishi founded the World Community Service Centre (WCSC), a non-profit registered society with a view to working towards World Peace through individual peace. As of today, more than 200 trusts and about 2000 meditation centres have been registered and affiliated to WCSC in India. From 1972 to 1993, he travelled abroad annually, lecturing and teaching extensively in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and the USA.

In 1984 he founded the "Vethathiri Maharishi Yoga and Kaya Kalpa Research Foundation" based in Aliyar, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu in the name of Arutperunjothi Nagar. This is located on Pollachi-Valparai Highway SH-78, next to Azhiyar Dam and State Transportation buses are available to Arutperunjothi Nagar from Pollachi. Facilities are provided for large groups to stay and undergo SKY courses of several days in duration. The Temple of Consciousness is the centerpiece of the campus.

In 1998 the Brain Trust was established to bring together intellectuals of various fields to discuss the issues facing mankind and work towards solutions for bringing about peace and harmony to the individual and to the world at large.

Vethathiri Maharishi died on 28 March 2006 in Coimbatore. His embalmed body is now located in Mani Mandapam inside the World Community Service Center, Arutperunjothi Nagar, Azhiyar, Pollachi.


Stamp on Vethathiri Maharishi released

Receiving from former Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology A. Raja the first copy of a commemorative postage stamp on Vethathiri Maharishi, the then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said that the centenary celebrations and postage stamps on eminent persons and freedom fighters would help the youth to be inspired and emulate such personalities.

Talking about Vethathiri Maharishi, the former Chief Minister said: "The teachings of Vethathiri Maharishi (1911–2006) have been receiving acclaim because the spiritual leader possessed the "weapon" of rationalism. To attract people, the spiritual leader did not use magical powers or claim that he was in contact with god. As he had possessed rationalism that would help people to realise themselves, his teachings and messages were still adored. Ramalinga Swamigal (1823–1874) and Vethathiri Maharishi were conscious of the influence of superstitions on people and they strove for showing the correct path, Mr. Karunanidhi said. N. Mahalingam, industrialist and president of the Temple of Consciousness, Aliyar, recalled his relationship with Maharishi and said the World Community Service Centre founded by the spiritual leader was an outcome of the Satya Gnana Sabai of Adigal.[2]

Vethathiri Maharishi's 14 point World Peace Plan

Vethathiri Maharishi was affected by the events and happenings of the Second World War. Even as young man he wanted to change the functioning of the society. He wanted peace to prevail in the World. World Peace through Individual Peace has always been the core of his teachings. He has given a 14 point World Peace plan and has authored a book - Vethathirian Principles of Life. The 14 point principles as stated by Vethathiri Maharishi to achieve World Peace are : 1. World Without War 2. Economic Justice 3. A Fair Judiciary 4. One World Federal Government 5. Reformation of Culture 6. Living under the guidance of intellectuals 7. Respecting Womanhood and giving full equal rights 8. Living in tune with the Law of Nature 9. Avoiding unnecessary rituals and festivals 10. Sports to be made non-commercial and only for the children 11. The educational curriculum to include teaching the Law of Cause and Effect 12. Expounding the Philosophy of Magnetism 13. Food and water to be available for each person of the world 14. Universal agreement on Truth (God) to bring about One World Religion acceptable by all.

Vethathiri Maharishi & United Nations Organisation

Vethathiri Maharishi’s immortal lecture at United Nations Organization, New York, U.S.A. on 9th January 1975. He was invited by the United Nations to give a lecture/demonstration on Simplified Kundalini Yoga.

Excerpts from his UNO speech are below :-

“Dear Friends, I am very much glad to see all of you gathered here with a noble aim of hearing something about spiritual development. The spiritual knowledge is very important to make our life perfect and to maintain peace in the life of one and all on the Globe.

This great Organization U.N.O. has been started and is functioning only with the aim of establishing peace among mankind.In both political and economic fields, the U.N.O. strives hard to bring peace.

"It is a noble scheme to bring the representatives of all nations under one roof and make them think about the international peace which is the only hope of survival of mankind against the dangerous atomic weapons. The world of philosophical wisdom and intellectuals of international thought will appreciate the useful works of U.N.O.

Here I have to point out one more things which are also very much important for peace. That is the development of spiritual knowledge among mankind.Of course material comforts are essential for peaceful life but without spiritual knowledge, material comforts alone will not bring satisfaction or peace in life.

Here I will give an example. Food, shelter and clothes are the important commodities in materials comforts. Please visualize the whole world and the available stocks of these three main commodities.

The clothes in stock at present will be sufficient for the next two years for all people even though the whole world stops production at once. Similarly, the present stock of food will be sufficient for one year. If the shelters are restricted to the area of actual need

no one in the world will have to suffer for want of shelter. With some persons and with some countries these commodities may be less; and with others they are in surplus.The development of spiritual knowledge only will enable mankind to share all the needs with love, respect and responsibility.

The love which blossoms in a man as a natural process by spiritual development will enable him to understand the feelings of others, to respect the needs and ambitions of others and to cooperate in the effort of satisfactory living by willing sacrifice on one's own physical, financial and intellectual abilities.

Therefore, in addition to the efforts for increasing the material comforts by political and economic means, an opportunity for spiritual development in the human society should be provided so that all deserving persons will develop spiritual knowledge in time.

Let us consider: What is the spiritual development? In the process of living, the mind is the nucleus and important phenomenon. When one understands the values and wonders of the mind, he can enjoy life successfully and happily."

Read more about the speech by visiting the WCSC -Official website- vethathiri.edu.in

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References
  1. "Vethathiri Maharishi dead". The Hindu. 29 March 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
  2. Stamp on Vethathiri Maharishi released. The Hindu. 14 August 2010.
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